Cobra Records

CTL-E-1198 · Institution · label · unspecified

PROVISIONAL evidence grade of this record

Independent Chicago blues label operating 1956–1959; important for launching the recording careers of Otis Rush, Magic Sam, and Buddy Guy; signaled the emergence of a distinctive West Side Sound. Founder identity (commonly cited as Eli Toscano) and Chicago address: not verified in sources consulted | Unresolved.

Notes

Merged into canonical KG 2026-10-03 from BMI-002; source entity IDs: CTL-DR-BMI-002:cobra-records; source research type(s): label — additional significant label identified in research. Description completed 2026-10-03 from the source research record (claims) during the KG completion pass. Era not present in source research record(s); marked unspecified pending human review.

Sources

evidence: label summary

Record CTL-E-1198 · CultureTechLens Knowledge Graph · evidence grade: PROVISIONAL · 1 source · CTL research: BMI-002.
Directory: all entity records · the knowledge graph

Cite this record

Cite as: CultureTechLens, “Cobra Records (CTL-E-1198),” CultureTechLens Knowledge Graph, October 2026. https://culturetechlens.com/graph/entities/ctl-e-1198/

Chicago: CultureTechLens. “Cobra Records (CTL-E-1198).” CultureTechLens Knowledge Graph. Chicago, IL: CultureTechLens, 2026. https://culturetechlens.com/graph/entities/ctl-e-1198/
APA: CultureTechLens. (2026). Cobra Records (CTL-E-1198) [Entity record]. CultureTechLens Knowledge Graph. https://culturetechlens.com/graph/entities/ctl-e-1198/
MLA: CultureTechLens. “Cobra Records (CTL-E-1198).” CultureTechLens Knowledge Graph, 2026, https://culturetechlens.com/graph/entities/ctl-e-1198/

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From the Archive

The archive in pictures

Black Chicago’s musical record, kept frame by frame. Photographs from the CultureTechLens research record — rights-cleared, credited, and cited like everything else here.

Negro swinging his girl on roller skates. Savoy Ballroom, Chicago, Illinois, ChicagoPhoto: Russell Lee, FSA-OWI, Public Domain, via Library of Congress

Girl listening to music at dance. Chicago, Illinois, ChicagoPhoto: Russell Lee, FSA-OWI, Public Domain, via Library of Congress

The band at the Savoy Ballroom. Chicago, Illinois, Chicago, 1941Photo: Lee, Russell, 1903-1986, FSA-OWI, Public Domain, via Library of Congress

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